Mumbai Indians (MI) had never lost an IPL match while defending a total of over 200 — until now. Punjab Kings (PBKS) weren’t just chasing 204; they were chasing history. It was a monumental task, and it required a special effort. That brilliance came from Shreyas Iyer, whose sublime 87 guided PBKS to a five-wicket win, booking their place in the IPL 2025 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on June 3.
After their Qualifier 1 loss to RCB, Iyer had remarked, “We’ve lost the battle, not the war.” Few could have predicted that he would lead Punjab’s comeback with one of the most composed and memorable innings ever seen in an IPL knockout. Iyer was calm, calculated, and clinical — his knock wasn’t just about power-hitting, but also about clever placement and manipulating the field. He struck eight sixes and five fours, but the standout moment was a stunning boundary off a Jasprit Bumrah yorker, sliced late through third man. It was an audacious shot that epitomised Iyer’s confidence.
What truly anchored PBKS’s chase was his 84-run partnership with Nehal Wadhera. Their fluent scoring ensured the required run rate never slipped out of reach.
Punjab also struck early psychological blows by going after MI’s pace ace – Bumrah. Josh Inglis hammered him for 20 runs in his first over — Bumrah’s most expensive over of the season — and he ended the match wicketless for the first time in IPL 2025, at a time when MI needed him most.
Despite losing both in-form openers early, PBKS never lost their rhythm. Inglis set the tone in the Powerplay, and Iyer and Wadhera sustained that momentum with poise and intent. It was a chase for the ages, and a performance that sends Punjab Kings into the final brimming with belief.
A collective effort from MI batters
After a rain delay of over two hours, play finally got underway in Ahmedabad — and fortunately, without any reduction in overs. Despite no MI batter reaching a half-century, the team still managed to post a formidable 200-plus total, thanks to a collective effort from the batting unit.
Rohit Sharma survived an early chance once again but failed to capitalise this time. Tilak Varma, promoted up the order, made the most of the opportunity. He stitched together two crucial fifty-run partnerships — first with Jonny Bairstow, then with Mumbai’s standout performer this season, Suryakumar Yadav.
Even after Rohit’s early departure, Bairstow and Tilak kept the scoreboard ticking during the Powerplay with aggressive strokeplay. The middle overs saw a fine partnership between Tilak and Surya, who was involved in an entertaining battle with Yuzvendra Chahal. Surya had the upper hand for most of it, but Chahal eventually dismissed him, turning the tide. The strategic timeout shortly after also seemed to break Tilak’s rhythm, bringing an end to his valuable innings.
With a strong platform laid, it was Naman Dhir who stepped up in the death overs. He expertly targeted the field placements, especially with Punjab penalised for a slow over rate in the final two overs. Dhir’s smart hitting helped Mumbai add 57 runs in the last five overs, taking them past the 200 mark — a total that looked defendable until Shreyas had the last word.
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